City Council overrides mayoral veto to retain control over recreational marijuana fund spending

Colorado Springs City Council voted 6-3 on July 22 to override Mayor's veto of Ordinance 25-59, a measure that sets a framework for how the city may allocate revenue from the recreational marijuana sales tax to three voter-approved categories: police programs, mental-health services and veterans' mental-health services. The vote restores council authority to solicit and review grant applications and to make recommendations to the mayor about expenditures from the special fund.

The override follows months of debate over whether an ordinance is needed to implement the ballot initiative voters approved and how the money should be allocated. Supporters said the ordinance creates an explicit process so councils — present and future — can direct funds into programs the ballot identified. Opponents said the charter and earlier ordinance language already constrain the money to the…